Vietnam reports 67th Covid-19 case, linked to mass Muslim gathering in Malaysia
The latest patient in Vietnam went to a mass religious gathering in Malaysia attended by roughly 16,000 Muslims.
Vietnam has reported the 67th case infected with the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) who attended a Muslim gathering in Malaysia held from February 27 to March 1.
The 36-year-old man in the central province of Ninh Thuan shared the same flight as patient No.61 who lives in the same province.
Both of them arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on March 4 on Vietjet Air flight VJ826.
| An estimated 16,000 people attended the ‘itjimak tabligh’ gathering at the Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Yusof Mat Isa/Malaymail |
The men attended a mass gathering at the Jamek Sri Petaling mosque that include around 14,500 Malaysians and 1,500 foreigners.
Out of Malaysia’s 673 confirmed coronavirus cases as of March 18, nearly two-thirds are linked to the four-day gathering, Malaysian New Straits Times quoted Dr Adham as saying.
It is not clear who brought the virus there in the first place.
Due to the soaring infections, Malaysia’s minister in charge of religious affairs Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri announced to suspend all activities in mosques for 10 days beginning March 16.
Meanwhile in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City’s Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) has called on all Vietnamese people who attended the event to take home quarantine and contact health agencies or the Ministry of Health’s hotlines for protective measures and support.
After tracking down the attendees, Vietnam’s authorities have identified 90 Muslims in Ho Chi Minh City, the central province of Ninh Thuan, and the southern provinces of An Giang, Tay Ninh, and Dong Nai who attended the gathering in Malaysia, Vietnam News Agency quoted Vu Chien Thang, head of Vietnam’s Government Committee for Religious Affairs, as saying.
